Market growth for the bricks, blocks and precast concrete sector was at a steady 13% between 2015-2019, however, AMA Research are predicting Covid-19 will cause an 11% drop
The sector was seeing an increase throughout 2019, however, the Covid-19 pandemic will have caused issues with the supply chain as it is not just the UK that has been affected but the whole world.
The drop will be an almost complete reverse from the start of 2020 as the Covid-19 pandemic continues. Should the downturn in construction be deeper than currently forecast then demand levels for bricks, blocks and precast concrete products is likely to fall further resulting in too optimistic a view presented by the current forecast.
The value of brick imports increased by a rather large 38% in 2018 with Belgium and the Netherlands key source countries.
Demand for concrete blocks
The AMA Research report states that the demand for concrete blocks is influenced by the health of the housebuilding sector with demand slowing in H2 2019 as completions levels dropped due to many extenuating circumstances such as the turbulent Brexit negotiations followed by the dramatic storms across the nation that was able to close several sites causing work to grind to a halt.
According to the report the industry has only seen this level continue to drop throughout H1 2020 which enforces our predicated decline of 11%.
Precast concrete and cast stone products account for the largest share of the market with growth underpinned by move and investment from the larger housebuilders to more offsite and modular construction methods.
There is however a positive outcome, AMA Research is forecasting that although there is a short-term decline in 2020, it will be followed by the overall growth of 18% to 2024 when the market is forecast to be around £2.3bn.
